Diaphragm structure



Aug. 28, E923. 3,466,242

s. @NEAL DIAPHRAGM STRUCTURE Original Filed Dec. 28 1920 @gol vwewfoz Patented Aug. 2S, 1323.

NETE@ STATES SPENCER 5G. NEAL, OF NEW Y0, N. Y.,

il *Il CQMPANY, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWE.

maar raras naar.

ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC STRMGET MR Application led December 2S, 1920, Serial No. 433,714. Renewed January 28, 1923.

To all 'wlwm t may con/oem:

Be it known that I, SPENCER G. NEAL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful'llmprovements in Diaphragm Structures (Case No. 41), of which the following is a specification.

It has been found in the practical operao tion of diaphragms made in accordance with Patent No. 1,062,300 and used in air brake apparatus, that that portion of the diaphragm between the rigid supporting members and the central floating or pulsating te supporting members is unduly stressed by the air pressure. In diaphragm structures made and used in accordance with the mentioned patent there is a very slight unsupported portion of the diaphragm between ao the central supporting members and the rigid marginal supporting members and this unsupported portion is apt to be stretched or excessively stressed in the operation of the air brake apparatus.

It is the main object of this invention to provide a diaphragm structure in which the excessive stress of the unsu ported part of the diaphragm will be eliminated. Diaphragm structures of the kind indicatedhere- S0 in must be very sensitive. Usually they are formed of one or more sheets of very thin copper in order to secure the re uired sensitiveness. lt is quite unsatis actory to strengthen the diaphragm by means of rigidly held strengthening sheets or members. Such a structure is not sensitive enough and does not respond readily enough to variations in air pressures. In carrying out this invention I employ a freely floating rein` forcing or sustaining ring which is arranged to bridge the gap' between the rigid marginal supporting means and the floating or pulsating central supporting means. rlhis floating ring is of suicient width to give ample bearing surface on both the marginal supporting means and the central supporting means; and the central supporting means is so constructed as to prevent undue lateral shifting of the sustaining ring. By this means the sustaining ring is maintained accurately in position to at all times bridge the gap between the rigid and pulsating supports while at the same time oering no resistance to the pulsations of the diaphragm. llt is manifest, therefore, that the freely Heating sustaining ring will prevent any undue stretching of the diaphragm and at the same time it will not in any way interfere with the sensitive response of the diaphragm to variations in air pressures.

1n the drawing, Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a diaphragm structure showing the diaphragm deflected by air pressure from the normal;

Fig. 2 a similar view showing the diaphragm structure in normal position;

F ig. 3 an enlarged sectional view of one side of the diaphragm and its supporting structure showing the diaphragm deflected by air pressure from normal position;

Fi 4r, a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the diaphragm in normal or neutral position; and

lFig. 5 a detail perspective view of the sustaining ring.

In the use of diaphragms made in accordance with patent No. 1,062,300 and used in the air brake apparatus as exemplified by Patent No. 1,326,211 dated December 30, 1919,

the diaphragm 1, preferablyY of thin sheet copper of one or more layers, is supported around its marginal edges b rigid supports 2. rlhese supports are usua ly a part of the structure of the air brake apparatus, which need not be more specifically described herein. This rigid marginal support of the diaphragm is formed with an inwardly aring mouth 3, `which of course is annular, and permits of a certain limited Hexing of the diaphragm, the walls of said mouth receiving and supporting the diaphragm when it is deliected from normal position as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. rlhe central portion of the diaphragm is clamped between two central supporting members 4 and 5, said members being usually connected to an operative part of the apparatus as indicated ing channel being formed between said' supporting members, the outer portion of said channel being slightly greater in width than the thickness of the diaphragm so that the diaphragm may have a slight lateral movement in the outer portion of said channel. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

1t hassbeen found in the practical operation of air brake apparatus having diaphragms supported as shown in the drawings and as described herein, that the very small unsupported part of the diaphragm around the Inargin of the inner supporting members is unduly stressed and stretched when air pressure is applied. To avoid this stress and stretching l insert a bridge 6 which extends across the said unsupported part of the diaphragm, a portion of said bridge ring extending into the channel 7 between the two central supporting members and into the channel 3 forme-d between the two rigid marginal supportinor members. rll`he upwardly curved part of the flange 5a of the lower supporting member holds the bridge ring against sidewise shifting, and maintains the bridge ring accurately in position to bridge the space between the reciprocating and rigid supporting members. rl`his bridge ring may be of any desired thickness to resist the air pressures employed in the apparatus, but it is preferably flexible enough to yield readily under the pressures employed, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the'drawing.

By providing a floating bridge ring the sensitiveness of the diaphragm is not interfered with as the said ring is merely flexed by the air pressure and all tendency to bucklewh'en the diaphragm returns to norvmal or neutral position is avoided. ift is manifest that if aI strengthening layer were rigidly clamped between the marginal and central supports -it would have a great stiffening effect on the diaphragmxand would materially interfere with its sensitiveness and prevent its ready response to variations inair pressure. By means of the floating ring the desired support may be provided for the diaphragm when it is deflected from the normal by air-pressure while at the same timethe diaphragm as a whole is not stiffened.

Another advantage of the floating bridge ring is that should the diaphragm become broken or ruptured the ring will form a seal and prevent excessive leakage through the diaphragm. rlhe bridge .ring will form a seal because its inner and outer margins will be closely pressed against the supports when air pressure is on the diaphragm, as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Air will leak through the ruptured or broken diaphragm only when the pressure is sufiicient rescata to deiect the diaphragm and at that time the bridge ring will be pressed into intimate Contact with its supports and will then serve as a support for the diaphragm and as a means for sealing any break therein.

lin the drawing only one bridge ring is shown for the reason that the diaphragm structure illustrated is designed to receive air pressure on one side only. As illustrated the bridge ring is under the diaphragm and the air pressure is designed to be placed only on the upper surface thereof.

What l claim is:

1. ln a diaphragm structure the combination of a diaphragm, a rigid marginal support therefor, a movable central support,

and a freely fica-ting bridge ring extending across the space between said supports and adapted to engage both of said supports when the diaphragm is deiected from its normal position.

2. In a diaphragm structure the combination of a diaphragm, an outer marginal support therefor having a channel to receive said diaphragm, a central support for said diaphragm having a channel toreceive said diaphragm, and a freely floating bridge ring extending across the space between the inner and outer supports for the diaphragm and entering the channels in said sup-ports.

3. In. a diaphragm structure the combination of a diaphragm, an outer marginal support therefor having a channel to receive said diaphragm, a central support for said diaphragm having a channel to receive said diaphragm, a freely floating bridge ring extending across the space between the inner and outer supports for the diaphragm and entering the channels in said supports, and means for preventing the lateral shifting of the bridge ring.

4. ln a diaphragm structure the combination of a diaphragm, a rigid marginal support therefor, a movable central support, and a bridge-ring extending across the space between said suppo-rts and adapted to engage both of said supports'wlien the diaphragm is deflected from its normal position, one margin of said diaphragm being free.

5. ln a diaphragm structure the combination of a diaphragm, a rigid marginal support therefor, a movablecentral support, a bridge-ring extending across the space between said supports and adapted to engage both of said supports when the diaphragm 12o is deflected from its normal position, one margin of said diaphragmI being free, and means for preventing the lateral shifting of the bridge-ring.

ln testimony whereof l hereunto affix my signature.

SPENCER G. NEAL. 

